Breastfeeding question, please tell me what i am doing right and wrong?? long question?

Question

my baby is 5 days oldher discharge wiehgt fromt he hospital was 5 lbs 15 ozs, she was born at 38 weeks 6 days. my breast size prepregnancy is a d pushing a dd, so my b*****s engorged are ginormous!! (yes i just made that a word) needless to say my nipple is too big for her mouth. we had problems to begin with, as far as latching on, but she did finally get it. the first day home from the hospital (3 days old, i was engorged) she didn't have any dirty diapers, and her wet diapers were orange and thick, like she was dehydrated........so i just pumped. and i have been pumping since, and pumping is going good. my milk has already come in, this is my 2nd baby bfing. my 1st was a piece of cake bfing, no problems. after i pump about 3 ozs, 1 1/2 ozs out of each, i just bottlefeed her that, and then she takes a soothie paci because she eats it so fast she still needs to fullfill her sucking reflex. the 1st day she latched on and the nursery told me since she latched on ok it was ok to give her the paci, and actually they gave it to her. sooo now after i finish bottlefeeding her, instead of using the paci for the sucking we have been practicing sucking on me......and she just screams and pushes away......finally the other night she did latch on. but since then nothing. today before feeding her, since i am not as engorged i tried to latch her on, and she just stiffins up and gets upset. she'll latch on and then push away and cry. i don't know what the deal is. overactive letdown?? i just drip though, i am not a streamer. i know i am doing alot wrong, but now i am trying to trace my steps backwards to repair what i've messed up , and i am lost!! i DO NOT want to formula feed or supplement with formula, and she was obviously dehydrated.....before i started pumping, but the pumping is getting to be inconveinent. my MIL is with us for the next 2 weeks, and i am sick of going into our room to pump......HELP PLEASE!!!!!1

Answer 1

I think you are going well. The only thing i would change is i would offer her your breast before you give it to her in a bottle. Maybe she is getting upset cause she is full. I know when my girl is upset and she is not hungery she will only take her dummy not my breast.

If she doesn't latch on and decides she dosn't want to be a boob girl, why not keep pumping her feeds and give it to her in a bottle then you don't have to give in and give her formula?

I would also have a chat to a lactation/breastfeeding nurse to see if she had some ideas.

good luck with it

Answer 2

Medicaid DOES cover lactation consultants. I would suggest contacting one as soon as possible. If you need to, just call your medicaid office and ask them to help you find one that is covered. I don't know why the hospital said that but it is supposed to be covered.

If for some reason, you still get a hassle, you can also get help through WIC via the Breastfeeding warmline. They can find somebody to go to your home or that you can go to. You do not have to be income-qualified for WIC to use their breastfeeding help resources. They are there to encourage all women to breastfeed and more likely would be more than happy to help you.

Don't give up. I know you're facing a ton of issues right now but with good help, you can get them worked out in no time and happily nurse your daughter.

Good luck.

Answer 3

My son was a preemie so my nipple was to big for his mouth.  Pinch your breast just outside of the nipple so that it is easier for her.  Stick with it.  If shes getting too frusterated, nurse her before she is fully awake.

Answer 4

It can be hard to transition an infant who has been bottle feeding back to the breast. Breast feeding for infants uses a lot of their jaw muscles. She is fighting with you because she isn't sure what to do when on the breast. i would take her in your room when she is not hungry and def. not screaming and try to work on her latching on. In the mean time try not to give her a bottle or pacifer. Number one rule is that the baby has to eat so if she doesn't latch you can cup feed her. Here is a website that talks about it and how to do it.

http://www.breastfeeding.org/articles/cu...

Answer 5

Contact a lactation consultant. There are usually several availble that you can meet for help. I had one call me the day after I got home from the hospital and offered to meet with me. I decided on nursing with a nipple sheild. My baby has been gaining weight steadily so it is okay for me to use it. He will not latch without it now but that was a risk I took using the shield. Most of the time he would not latch before either because I have large b*****s DD before pregnancy and now ginormaus :D My letdown is overactive too and it would end up choking him because he couldnt swallow quick enough with the shield he can eat comfortably. My baby would fuss at the breast and scream most times without latching so I would have to pump too. It was getting to be a pain especially in the beginning when I only had 2-4 oz in 10 minutes. Now I get 6+ oz. in 5 minutes but only pump on the weekends or if I am having company. I dont think the shield is an option for everyone but it is a life saver for me. Good luck!!!!

Answer 6

to be brief, keep trying.  keep offering the breast.  i think the baby just wants the bottle because its faster.  try having some expressed milk already on the nipple before bfing.

kellymom.com has lots of great resources.

keep at it and dont give up!!

Answer 7

First of all I highly recommend joining a breast feeding support group or newborn classes, they are everywhere.  Usually those who do not use a midwife or have the support of experienced mothers or grandmothers etc. to help go to such classes to learn baby basics.

Second, both you and your baby are learning, every baby is different.  It takes practise, and also your b*****s are learning too.  With a second child, your b*****s oftenjust start shooting milk out, but with the first, it takes trial and error and try try try again, but this is not always the case.

> my nipple is too big for her mouth

That has never been the case.

Also, some babies will just feed like mad and suck it all out in 5 minutes, while others are very chilled out and will take their time and it could take an hour.

> she takes a soothie paci because she

> eats it so fast she still needs to fullfill her sucking reflex

I don't believe that.

> and she just screams and pushes away

Start her on the breast first, and throw that pacifier out.

Do not give her a choice between a bottle and a pacifier and a breast, just give her the breast and that's it.  You are the boss, not her.

> she'll latch on and then push away and cry

Often this is because the milk is coming out too fast, but I don't know about your case.

> formula

Yeah, evil stuff.

Really, seek out a local breastfeeding group. You will pool your resources with other women and you might even find yourself saying, "Yeah, I had the same problem with my first child and I just did this, give it a try..."

There might even be something you are eating that is affecting the flavour of your milk... keep trying, and if you cannot find a local breastfeeding group, find a midwife, they can help you or at least direct you to a local group or whatever.  In Canada midwives are free, but if you have to pay where  you are, I'm sure some breastfeeding lessons would be either cheap or free.

Answer 8

I think you should contact a lactation consultant. The hospital you delivered at will have some contacts for you. Also, I think you should try not to give her the paci, as she may be having some nipple confusion (she may just prefer the shape/size of the paci nipple in comparison to your nipple and thus just wants the paci - try to eliminate it). Also are you sure the pee was what was orangish color ?? My son's p**p for the first day or so home from the hospital (after the meconium p**p) was watery orange colour and the nurses said it was totally normal, especially for a breastfed baby. Good Luck!!  

Answer 9

Do you know how to locate an IBCLC in your area?  In your question, you implied that you got help in the nursery, but that does not necessarily mean they were trained and qualified in giving breastfeeding advice.

An IBCLC is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and she will be your guardian angel for as long as it takes to get your baby to nurse effectively.  Below is a link, to help you locate one in your area:

http://kellymom.com/lcdirectory/index.ht...

It seems as if you may have caused nipple confusion by offering a bottle and pacifier.  I don't know much about that; I have no experience with it.  Again, I strongly advise you to contact an IBCLC.  

In the meantime, offer your daughter the breast as often as possible.  Try to offer it before she becomes hungry, or when she is very sleepy.  She may want to "comfort nurse" then, and might be less likely to get agitated.  

Ditch the paci altogether.  Right now, a 5 day old baby is being offered three different things to suck on.  The bottle might be preventing dehydration, but the pacifier is doing more harm than good.

Why not make your MIL go to HER room while you pump?  It is your home, and you are going to great lengths to provide breastmilk for your baby girl.  You deserve to do that in peace, in comfort, and without being inconvenienced by a visitor.  If it is making you very nervous, perhaps put off the visit until you are ready for it.  Stress isn't going to do you any good.

I applaud your commitment and dedication.  Pumping is no picnic, nor is that early frustration and exhaustion that comes with a newborn baby.  I wish you all the best, and will star this in hopes that some of my contacts might answer it.

Answer 10

Try when she's not very hungry so she won't get angy as quickly.  Just keep trying and pumping...she'll get it eventually.  

Answer 11

I would guess that she is getting frustrated because it is much easier for her to get milk from a bottle and she doesn't want to put out the effort it takes to get milk from the breast.  I would put away the pacifiers and the bottles for awhile and only offer the breast...unless, of course, you notice signs of dehydration.  I would think that since the engorgement has passed it will be much easier for her to get the hang of it.  Those nurses should not have given her a pacifier!  Hold off on pacifiers and bottles until nursing has been well established.

Answer 12

My son had the same problem!

He is three months and I am still pumping!!! If you get the hang of it you can fit it into your life!

She is likely not latching because she has gotten used to the bottle nipple, (which happened with my son)

use drjacknewman.com, it helped SO much

They say that around 6-8 weeks babies are likely to start latching again, however that day came and went for me and my little guy and still no latch!

I have the same dripping issue, and they say that the milk will eventually stimulate the baby enough to get them to latch!

Good Luck, I feel for you